Brian Viloria understands what it takes to be a champion.

He’s done it three times.

The ability to stay champion is a concept the former Olympian is still trying to figure out.

Viloria will defend the WBO flyweight title he won last July in Honolulu against Mexico’s Giovani Segura in the main event of Sunday morning’s fight card at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City, Manila, Philippines.

The event will be available live on Oceanic PPV in Hawaii (Dig. 260) today at 4 p.m.

Viloria (29-3, 16 KOs) is 3-1 in world title fights as the challenger but 2-2 in fights as the champion. He’s never won consecutive times holding the same world title.

"It’s always tough trying to hold on to a world title when you’re fighting guys who might not normally do too well, but always will do well for a world championship because they get up for that," Viloria said. "You always train the hardest and always put your best foot forward when a world title is on the line, and that’s why being a world champion is really hard."

Viloria’s career reflects that perfectly. His most notable victory is a first-round knockout of Eric Ortiz in his first world title fight in September 2005.

His most complete victory came with an 11th-round TKO of Ulises Solis in April 2009 to win his second world title.

He’s also suffered his worst defeats once getting that belt around his waist.

His second fight after winning the WBO title was a disappointing unanimous decision loss to Omar Nino Romero. He lost a majority decision in the rematch that was eventually ruled a no contest after Romero failed a post-fight drug test.

Viloria lost his second world title in his second defense again when Carlos Tamara, ranked well below Viloria going into the fight, won by TKO in the 12th round as an exhausted Viloria failed to defend himself from an onslaught of punches in the final round.

"If you get a guy who normally gives 80 or 90 percent, you know he’s going to give 100 percent versus a world champion," Viloria said.

That won’t be the case against Segura (28-1-1, 24 KOs), who is rated No. 9 in Ring Magazine’s pound-for-pound rankings.

As recently as last year, Viloria sparred with Segura to prepare for certain fights.

Now it’ll be the real thing.

"It’s a whole different animal when you fight in a real fight," Viloria said. "Sparring is more like a scrimmage where you’re learning some techniques. You don’t have that sense of urgency or try to knock a guy out."

A two-time world champion at 108 pounds, Segura is moving up in weight to take on Viloria as the WBO’s mandated challenger following Viloria’s win over Julio Cesar Miranda at Blaisdell Arena.

Segura has enjoyed a rapid rise up the rankings since knocking out Ivan Calderon twice in an eight-month span.

Those are the only two losses of Calderon’s career.

Segura has won nine fights in a row since he lost a unanimous decision to Cesar Canchilla in July 2008.

He avenged that loss with a fourth-round TKO victory eight months later.

"His fight is to stay in the middle or back you up and bang away," Viloria said. "I’m really versatile in changing up my style for my opponents, so I need to go in there and be smart and use the tools that I have."

Segura will have controversial trainer Javier Capetillo in his corner for the fight.

Capetillo’s cornerman’s license was revoked by the state of California after a plaster-like substance was found in the handwraps of former world champion Antonio Margarito prior to a 2009 fight against Shane Mosley. He is unable to work the corner for a fighter in the United States.

"We’re going to make sure things are done right," Viloria said. "We have all the faith in the commission that the right people and inspectors will do the right thing."

BRIAN VILORIA’S WORLD TITLE FIGHTS